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Lake Huron is, by itself, the second-largest of the Great Lakes, though the Straits of Mackinac technically connect it to Lake Michigan to the west. Its basin scoured by Pleistocene glaciers, island-sprinkled Huron drains southward to the St. Clair River and constitutes much of the international border between Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario. While some of its beaches are wave-washed sand flats, others are cobble-strewn or cliff-edged.

Occurrence

Much of the Lake Huron coastline manifests as rocky cliffs and gravel or pebble beachfronts, though sand dunes and beaches also exist. As noted by the Great Lakes Information Network, much of Michigan’s Huron coast is made up of glacially derived deposits of till, gravel or sand; the north and east shores at the margin of the Canadian Shield are primarily rocky. Specific examples of stony coast in Michigan include the shores of Bush Bay and much of Mackinac Island.

Petoskey Stones

On certain Lake Huron beaches, as, more famously, along the state’s Lake Michigan shore, hikers might turn up a geologic treasure: the Petoskey stone, actually fossilized remains of colonial corals that existed 350 million years ago in the tropical seaways that sloshed over present-day Michigan in the Devonian Period. Thus, they are relics of ancient reefs, smoothed over the vast expanse of time by currents. They were transported from outcrops of Alpena Limestone around Little Traverse Bay -- the vicinity of the stone’s namesake town -- to points beyond by continental glaciers.

Recreation

The best ways to explore Lake Huron’s rocky beaches -- as well as its sandy ones -- are by foot or in a boat. The secluded shores of Drummond Island, for example, off the eastern edge of the Upper Peninsula, offer excellent kayaking opportunities, as does the perimeter of Mackinac Island -- much of the terrestrial acreage of which falls within a state park inviting foot-travel exploration. Paddlers along the Pointe aux Barques on the Huron coast of the Lower Peninsula’s Thumb can appreciate not only broken cliffs but also substantial tracts of dunes.

Wildlife Viewing

Hikers or boaters along the rocky shores of Lake Huron in Michigan may see a variety of wildlife attracted to this dynamic, restless ecological frontier. Birdwatchers can have a field day, depending on the season and weather conditions. For example, a stormy winter’s morning on Huron might turn up the sprightly, ink-headed Bonaparte’s gull and the sleek Caspian tern alongside such giants as the glaucous and great black-backed gulls. During certain winters, the northern United States experiences what are known as "irruptions” of boreal and Arctic owls; at such times, Lake Huron beaches can be good places to look for snowy owls, hunkered down on the stones themselves. Among the mammals that may forage along the shore are coyotes, red foxes, mink and the occasional black bear.

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About the Author

Ethan Shaw is a writer and naturalist living in Oregon. He has written extensively on outdoor recreation, ecology and earth science for outlets such as Backpacker Magazine, the Bureau of Land Management and Atlas Obscura. Shaw holds a Bachelor of Science in wildlife ecology and a graduate certificate in geographic information systems from the University of Wisconsin.

Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.